Way back in my youth, when I was in high school and just starting to learn about wines, I got a job in the clothing industry. It was in a neighborhood store, which was very common back then, because people actually dressed up, not only for work, but for a night out on the town. The store I worked at, not only sold clothing, but they also rented tuxedoes, and they owned their own inventory, which was common back then. As we fast forward to today, I have had plenty of experience in the clothing industry, as that is how I paid for college, and eventually raised a family, all the while I was still learning about wine; funny how that worked out. Today I am semi-retired, but I still wish for a place to hang my hat, as they used to say. I am helping out in a neighborhood clothing store, which also rents tuxedoes. Though this does appear to be circular and a case of deja-vu, the tuxedo industry is now basically provided by some extremely large national chains that ship the merchandise to the stores at the desired date.

This entire prologue leads me to a Bridal Show, I recently attended for the local concern that I am helping out at. Weddings are big business, these days. At this Bridal Show that was being held at a very nice catering venue that specializes in weddings among other big events, one could also look at floral arrangements from diverse vendors, as well as different photographers, limousine services, specialty bakeries, wedding gown shops and even tuxedoes. The hall also had some food prepared in a large island in a casual buffet style for the future Brides to sample some of the foods offered. It was a very nice structured event, and I was with another gentleman, as we tried to get the Brides to at least take a serious look at what we could do for the Grooms and their attendants. Have you ever noticed that almost everyone looks great in a tuxedo?

After our display was set up and we were waiting for the doors to open to the future Brides, I walked around to look at the other vendors and I eventually found my way to the bar area. Most of you know that I tend to save wine labels to record what I have tried and I show them in my articles. Some times I take photographs of the wine label, if that is more advantageous, but I prefer the actual label as proof, but that is because I don’t like anything that I write about to be questioned. I went up to the bar, and asked the woman behind the bar, what wines were being served, and I was told; White Zinfandel, Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon. Those are all rather proper types of wine to be found at a wedding, so I asked if I might see the bottles while it was quiet, so that I could take a picture for my Blog. She informed me that she did not know the brands of the wine, and that the wine was not in bottles, and not in boxes either. The wine was poured out of a spigot, the same way beer and soda pop was poured. I was stunned, as I had never seen this, so later on after I had worked the show; I went and had a glass of the mystery Chardonnay. The Chardonnay was extremely chilled, the right color, slightly sweeter then normal, and it had bubbles from the aeration pumps, I would presume. This was a first for me, to have an effervescent still wine from an unknown winery. The other thing that I noticed was that the wine was either very high in alcohol, or that the gas that was used to pump the wine, made the wine, much headier then any other Chardonnay that I have ever had. Perhaps the most unusual glass of wine that I have ever had the company to be with, and I did try a second glass, just to see if I could discern anything, but alas no, so I am curious if this is becoming somewhat of the norm at weddings.